Today, digital media devices such as, for example, digital camcorders, digital cameras, and MP3 players are standalone devices that may be connected to a PC (personal computer) through a USB (universal serial bus) interface to download digital files without any form of user authentication or authorization.
When a user roams with a digital media device and is not near a PC, the user is limited by the memory capacity of the digital media device and any additional memory for the device (such as memory sticks or tapes) that the user may have with him.
Digital files within a digital media device may be downloaded to a PC, encrypted by the PC, attached to an email message, and sent to another PC via the Internet. Also, the digital files may be sent over a network using, for example, FTP (file transfer protocol). However, neither the Internet nor the network has any knowledge of the original source of the digital files (i.e., the digital media device).
If a digital media device is stolen, it may still be used by the thief as if he were the owner.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.